Eaton Ford (Eaton Socon) Primitive Methodist chapel
38 St Neots Road, Eaton Ford, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 7BD
Early meetings of the Society took place in a baker’s shop and then various cottages whilst attempts were made to buy a piece of land suitable for Chapel. In 1865 a Sunday school was started with Mr Wells as a superintendent. With a day of great celebration the foundation stone was laid for the chapel on 28 October 1870. The opening services lasted over three Sundays beginning on 19 March 1871. The two main ministers involved in the building of Eaton Ford were Oliver Jackson and Brownley Westbrook, who preached on the morning and evening of the first Sunday. JS Wyard also preached.
Rev Oliver Jackson tells us in the 1871 Primitive Methodist magazine all about the opening of the new Primitive Methodist chapel which was in the St Neots circuit. He calls the chapel Easton Socon chapel and Ordnance Survey maps at the time show the chapel as midway between Eaton Ford and Eaton Socon, opposite the St Neot’s Workhouse.
The Chapel was extended with the purchase of extra land in 1893. In 1983 major renovation work took place with the removal of the pews and pulpit and moving the organ.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine 1871 pages 117 and 563
Eaton Ford Methodist Church website, accessed February 8th 2015
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Until 1965, Eaton Ford was part of Bedfordshire. The PM Chapel was registered for worship by Oliver Jackson of Eynsbury (Hunts) Primitive Methodist minister on 18 May 1871 (source: Bedfordshire Chapels and Meeting Houses: Official Registration 1672-1901 Volume 75 Bedfordshire Historical Record Society – Edited by Edwin Welch
Kelly’s Directory 1914 notes that the chapel sat 150 people.
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